The way we work and the timings we follow have a huge impact on our sleep patterns. Healthy sleep is extremely crucial for proper healthy functioning of the body. Healthy sleep helps in re4charging and rejuvenating the body for the physical tasks. Sleep also has a psychological impact on the body – good sleep helps in making us feel better and happier. It helps in boosting mood and enhancing creativity and productivity. However, our work patterns and timings can have a serious impact on our sleep routine.

Sunlight's effect on body's circadian rhythm:

Dr. Samatha Tulla, M.D Internal Medicine, in a podcast episode with Murali Mastaru explained how the circadian rhythm of the body is affected by sunlight. Dr. Samatha Tulla explained that since early times, humans have been working with the sun – the sun helps in maintaining the circadian rhythm of the body. With the sun’s light, people ate food and engaged in physical labour, and after the sun went down, due to the absence of artificial light, people fell asleep. Hence, the body is trained to be in sync with the sun. However, with the recent shift timings of jobs where people work with different time zones, people may not get adequate sleep during the night. This makes the circadian rhythm of the body get affected.

How to improve melatonin production?

Dr. Samatha Tulla explained that melatonin is a natural hormone that helps in improving sleep patterns. However, melatonin production can get disrupted due to the blue light coming from the screen, or usage of gadgets right before falling asleep. Eating very close to bedtime can also affect melatonin production. When the body has magnesium deficiency – it can affect melatonin production and disrupt the sleep cycle. The doctor further explained that melatonin is not just a sleep-inducing hormone, but also an antioxidant that is loaded with benefits for the body.

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